US-based First American Nuclear (FANCO) and AtkinsRéalis have finalized a technical agreement to deploy the EAGL-1 fast-spectrum small modular reactor (SMR) in the United States, targeting initial power delivery by 2033. 

The project focuses on the engineering, licensing, and construction of 240-megawatt (MWe) reactors designed to integrate into existing industrial infrastructure.

“Together, we combine highly specialized expertise in advanced nuclear reactors and fuels with expansive operational scale and world‑class engineering resources to bring affordable, reliable nuclear energy to the US as expeditiously as possible,” said Mike Reinboth, CEO of First American Nuclear.

The EAGL-1 utilizes lead-bismuth cooling technology, a design choice that differentiates it from traditional light-water reactors. This type of liquid-metal coolant operates at high temperatures while remaining at atmospheric pressure, which eliminates the need for the thick pressure vessels and complex emergency cooling systems required by conventional pressurized designs. 

This reduction in mechanical complexity allows the system to be manufactured and assembled using standard US factory infrastructure and existing supply chains, which is intended to decrease both costs and deployment timelines.

Development of first closed-fuel-cycle system

“EAGL-1 is designed to generate 240 megawatts of electricity (MWe), enough to power 1.5 million homes from the typical six-reactor cluster, with a footprint a fraction of the size of traditional nuclear power plants delivering similar MWe,” said the company in a press release.

The cost model for these units is based on current material, labor, and financing data for the first commercial deployment rather than theoretical assumptions regarding future mass production.

A central technical feature of the EAGL-1 is the development of the first closed-fuel-cycle system in the United States. The system involves on-site facilities to reprocess and reuse spent nuclear fuel, a process designed to reduce long-lived nuclear waste by up to 95%. 

The reactor is engineered to run on mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel and transuranic (TRU) fuels sourced from existing Department of Energy stockpiles. While these materials are often considered waste in other reactor types due to high contamination levels, the EAGL-1 fast-spectrum system uses them as a primary energy source. 

The reactor is also compatible with High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU), providing operational flexibility depending on the domestic fuel supply.

Integrated fuel fabrication and recycling facilities

To facilitate a transition to nuclear power, the system incorporates a method called Bridge Power. 

“FANCO’s proprietary Bridge Power solution generates immediate power using off-the-shelf package boilers that feed steam turbines, then seamlessly transitions to carbon-free nuclear energy by replacing the boilers with the EAGL-1 reactor, using the same turbine infrastructure with minimal equipment and modification costs,” explained the press release.

The project includes the development of integrated fuel fabrication and recycling facilities located alongside the reactors. By combining reactor operations with on-site fuel management, the system aims to provide baseload reliability comparable to natural gas and other fossil fuel sources. 

The technical framework established by this initiative is designed to be scalable for future deployments across various regions in the United States.